SPECIAL FEATURES, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND GAMING AT THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF MACABRO FICH

• As part of its 25th anniversary, MACABRO presents a series of special features and activities
• The Night of True Crime is an experience that seeks to reflect on true crime documentaries
• The Center for Digital Culture will have AI Day with multiple activities
• MACABRO FICH ventures into gaming for the first time at the Geek Fair
• MACABRO FICH will be held from August 12 to 23 of this year

Mexico City.- Every year, the Mexico City International Horror Film Festival, MACABRO, presents a series of special features for the delight of genre film fans. This 2026 will be no exception, as various screenings are planned that elevate the curation for the celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary.

Additionally, as MACABRO FICH is constantly evolving and developing new audiences, this year it ventures into gaming during its presentation at the Geek Fair. Horror and video games is one of the most attractive and best-accepted combinations in the world; moreover, it connects directly with the youngest audience.

These screenings and activities are in addition to the talks, exhibitions, presentations, and other activities that will take place as part of this celebration. Therefore, below we present this incredible lineup.

The Ice Cream Man

Starring Ari Millen, Benjamin Byron Davis, and Eli Roth and presented at MACABRO FICH by Diamond Films, this film will be a premiere and tells the story of a perfect summer town that descends into chaos when an ice cream man begins to hand out irresistible ice creams that hide terrifying consequences. This screening will be free of charge and invitations will be distributed soon via the MACABRO FICH social media channels.

Who Can Kill a Child?

After 50 years, the classic by Narciso Ibáñez Serrador comes to MACABRO FICH in collaboration with the Caostica Festival. This is one of the most important films in Spanish genre cinema. Its director, Narciso Ibáñez Serrador, was already an important figure in his country's cultural scene, and had already ventured into the genre with the television series “Historias para no dormir” and his first film, “La residencia.”

The film tells the story of Tom and Emily, an English couple who decide to take their last vacation before the birth of their baby. They soon discover that there are no adults in the town, only children who watch and smile at them mysteriously. The screening will be held on Wednesday, August 19, at the Cineteca Nacional México and will be a one-time-only showing.

True Crime Night

For the first time in the history of MACABRO FICH, an experience is born that seeks to reflect on documentaries about criminal acts, why they connect with the public, and their variations.

The first True Crime Night will feature the film debut of the award-winning Affolter brothers with Altona, which combines stunning animation with never-before-told eyewitness testimony to pose a question: can you forgive what you will never forget?

This true-crime documentary examines the profound effects of a deadly attack that shattered a community, and the survivor who needed to face his own demons to overcome it. The event is on Tuesday, August 18, at the Museo Casa de Carranza and will have free admission.

AI Day at the Center for Digital Culture

Macabro dedicates its first AI day to viewing, dialogue, and reflection on the advances of this technology. The program includes a masterclass by Spanish filmmaker José Texeira, the screening of the most recent film and the second one made with AI, by Mexican director Lex Ortega: Memoria Lacerada and the short film Margoth et Kassandra by fellow Mexican León Landazuri. This day will be on August 20th at the Digital Culture Center and will have free admission.

Macabro at the Geek Fair - Game Macabro

In celebration of the 25th Anniversary, this year the footprint of Mr. Macabro crosses the border of pixels and polygons to bring eight independent horror proposals that seek to reach new audiences.

Some, names that have already earned their places in the industry like Grime and Call of the Elder, while others seek to horrify you with innovative ideas. Have you ever imagined playing something related to the disappearances of the Brazilian dictatorship?

Take control and let yourself be terrified. Presented by Asus and Masamune.

Call of the Elder Gods

Take on the roles of Professor Harry Everhart and newcomer Evangeline Drayton, solving complex puzzles based on logic, observation, and environmental interaction. Together they will travel from New England to the Australian desert, the frozen Arctic, and even the ancient city of Pnakotus in search of their missing loved ones, while confronting personal grief.

A sequel to the award-winning 2020 Call of the Sea, Call of the Elder Gods is a first-person, single-player, puzzle-filled adventure with a strong narrative focus. Previous experience with Call of the Sea is not necessary, but those who are already familiar with the title will discover deeper connections, family ties, and hidden truths intertwined throughout the story.

Welcome to Elderfield

Welcome to Elderfield is a grim and quirky farming RPG. As a local youth who has just graduated from school, players can farm, craft, build relationships, and unravel unsettling mysteries in a world that blends cozy mechanics with a chilling atmosphere. Explore, earn money, make friends, solve mysteries, start a farm, cook, fish. Plead to the Old Gods, speak with the dead, cower beneath the pale Moon, and try not to die in your sleep. Welcome to Elderfield.

NEVE

In NEVE, your decisions can completely change the course of the story. You take on the role of Captain Jasmina, who, trapped inside a cryogenics pod, must guide her two crewmates to repair the ship Argo while relying on the help of a suspicious artificial intelligence. Manage your team, race against time, and unravel the mysteries surrounding your ship's crash in this suffocating retro-futuristic thriller that will grip you from the very first second.

Ground Zero

A devastating meteor impact decimated South Korea. Two months later, when the dust and electrical storms have dissipated and the air has become breathable, an elite Korean agent and her Canadian partner are sent to investigate. What awaits them beyond the fog is more terrifying than they could ever imagine...

Grime II

Venture into a new and mysterious land in the GRIME universe, where danger and wonders await at every corner. Use the environment around you along with your summoned molds to defeat deadly enemies and epic bosses, while you explore a deep world, filled with diverse cultures and characters. Create your own playstyle by choosing from a variety of abilities, weapons, and mold summons. Learn your enemies' characteristics by conjuring their forms to aid you in combat and explore the world's many secret paths.

Luna Abyss II

In Luna Abyss, you are a prisoner condemned to explore an abandoned megastructure stretching deep beneath the surface of Luna, a mimic moon. Your mission is to recover forgotten technology from within the Abyss and the lost colony it consumed. Your every move will be monitored by your artificial jailer named Aylin.

These centuries-old ruins are filled with maddening echoes, hinting at the secrets of the once-thriving city of Greymont and its terrible fate. The Scourge. The principles of the All-Father. The chorus of the Collective. The voices of the Abyss call to you; they whisper strange messages…

Hordes of hunger

Hordes of Hunger combines fast-paced, third-person hack 'n' slash combat, high production values, and an evolving narrative, bringing new depth to the growing Survivors-like genre. In the game, you take on the role of Mirah, a fearless warrior. Join her heroic battle against a malevolent threat and hordes of creatures as you defend her homeland from a living hunger, wield powerful weapons and abilities, and save everyone from the advancing monstrosities.

Subersive Memories

Inspired by the classic survival horror games of the PlayStation 1 generation, the game features retro 3D graphics, strict resource management, and progression based on exploration and puzzle-solving. The experience values the player's intelligence, who must gather clues and interpret events without direct explanations. In Subversive Memories, you will have to explore the dark corridors of the military base using a flashlight, essential for revealing threats hiding in the shadows. However, the batteries are limited, and the darkness can quickly become deadly.

ABOUT MACABRO

The Mexico City International Horror Film Festival, MACABRO, will take place from August 12 to 23, 2026, at 20 venues in Mexico City. Since its founding, the festival has established itself as the first and most important space dedicated to genre films in Mexico, as well as a cultural benchmark in Latin America.

Over 25 years, MACABRO has established itself as a meeting space between contemporary and independent cinema and film memory, promoting the reappraisal of classic and cult cinema from a historical perspective. Likewise, it has consistently promoted Mexican and Latin American creation, supporting the emergence of new talent and strengthening the dialogue between creators, the public, and the industry.

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